Foam
by Ronely
Summary: You're just a big baby.


He rested on the sofa, shifting around. How uncomfortable. They didn't make 'em how they used to…

He eyed the television set all the while. News channel. Tails told him to tune in every morning, in case he had to capture some bank robber or fight an escaped convict. Something like that. Sonic played with a golden ring absentmindedly as he stayed alert for some thrilling story involving criminals.

"Breaking news!" A dark-skinned female anchor roused her best "crazy news story" tone. She sounded kind of fearful, actually. Sonic sat up, watching intently. Robber on the run? Serial killer? Had to be something.

"Today, the president will announce his new childcare program and the benefits and losses that come with it."

Oh.

"But that isn't all! A patient has escaped the Station Square Mental Hospital! The patient is by the name 'Amy Rose', age 19. Being a walking, talking, pink hedgehog who made herself famous long ago by aiding local super hero Sonic the Hedgehog, she's hard to miss! She has already assaulted two citizens, and seems to be making an effort to injure as many more as possible. The Station Square Police Department very strongly advises that if you spot Amy Rose, flee to the nearest safe spot. If she approaches your house, hide all family members in a safe location."

He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe.

What was he doing?

Nothing.

Okay, that's what he was doing. He was doing nothing.

What was he doing?

Nothing.

Seven years. Seven years since he began visiting every day. He had just returned from the hospital not twenty minutes ago.

Guilt. Sweeping guilt. Innocent people were getting hurt. It was all his fault. It was all his fault. All his fault.

She had snapped long ago. Too many rejections. Her poor heart couldn't handle it anymore. She just fell apart.

On the other hand, she had been fine before. And he couldn't just say 'yes'. He couldn't say he loved someone that he truly did not.

Three minutes passed before he could move again. He was just wasting time now. Peoples' lives were at stake here. He couldn't afford to just stand there. He was supposed to be fast, wasn't he?

He forced himself to move slowly towards the door. His muscles were disobeying him. Why? How dare you?

Okay. Can't argue with the body. Gotta keep moving. Gotta get to her before the police do.

Suddenly, as if nothing had ever happened, he was moving again. Out the door, through the plains, towards Station Square. It took a long time. Twenty-five-point-four seconds, to be exact. What was wrong with him? He had a job to do. He had a job to do. He had a job to do. He had to get there before them. They would execute her. They would hurt her. They might even put her back in the hospital. He had to take her away from them. He had to protect her. He had a job to do.

She was a threat to society now, after all. Threat. Threat. Threat. THREAT. threat. ThReAt. tHrEaT. Threat.

The word echoed through his mind at different volumes and speeds and pitches. It scared him. Sweet, somewhat obsessive Amy Rose was being considered a threat to the general public. He couldn't wrap his head around it. It scared him. It scared him. A chilled feeling coursed through his veins while he scoured the city streets for the pink "menace".

Maybe they were lying. Maybe she hadn't hurt anyone at all yet. They were lying. News stations had a tendency to lie. They were lying. They were lying. They were lying. Maybe she hadn't hurt anyone at all yet. They were lying, weren't they.

Right?

Yeah. They were. No need to worry. No need to panic. He could take it slow. Nobody would get hurt.

Someone was getting hurt. Someone had gotten hurt. More than one someone, actually. Maybe it was three now. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve.

A sickening crunch resounded in his head. The snapping of bones. Bones of innocents.

Haha. That was a joke. Nobody was hurt. She was fine. People were fine. It was Amy. She wouldn't hurt a fly (unless it looked like Eggman, of course). She was fine. They were fine. She was. They were. She. They.

It scared him.

No it didn't.

What was he doing here?

Why was he here? Why was he here? Whyyy was he heeere? Whyyyyyyyy waaaassss heeeee heeeere?

Why was he here.

'Why am I here?'

Ugh. This internal argument was sickening him. He felt like vomiting. He had people to save. He had her to save.

It scared him. It scared him so badly. Saving people from Amy Rose? She was going to hurt people? Weird. Hehe. So weird. It was odd to hear that. Kind of funny, actually.

Heheheh.

No it wasn't.

Nothing was funny. It was some twisted trick of the mind, when he laughed. He didn't mean to, honest.

Honestly. Why would Sonic The Hedgehog laugh at the thought of people dying or getting hurt? That wasn't him. This wasn't him. What had happened to him? Why was he arguing with himself?

Maybe she made him a little crazy. Does spending time with crazy people…make you crazy?

Nah. Maybe it makes you feel a little sick (like you ate a bad chili dog), but it doesn't make you crazy.

Umm.

What was he doing here? Why was he here?

Why was he here?

Oh yeah. Doing what he does best. Saving people!

Wait. Enough wasted time. He was looking. But he wasn't looking.

Amy Rose was a criminal. The government, the news stations, the general public…

They all thought of her as some dirty criminal. Scum. Villain.

It made him sick. Once more, he felt like bile could rise up his throat at any moment. All those years ago, they considered her a hero. They loved her. But as soon as she's regarded as a "criminal", they turn their backs on her.

Humans are disgusting.

No. Shut up.

He had to stay focused. He had to stay calm.

He had to find Amy Rose.

They found her first. They found her and she "mysteriously" passed away during the night. Everyone knew that the government lied.

But they simply did not care.

He couldn't sleep for the next few weeks. He barely touched his food. Tails didn't pry. He knew what had happened. He knew. It was all right for him to know. She was his friend, too.

He didn't talk anymore after it happened, either. He would only answer yes-or-no questions. His friends would ask him if he was okay. He would nod. Never shake his head. Just nod. He wouldn't smile, either. Just nod. Nod. Nod. Nod.

Tails tried to occupy him. Soccer. He loved soccer. He would buy Sonic a soccer ball. He would buy him a thousand soccer balls if that's what he wanted. He approached Sonic, ball in hand, fondling the hard foam.

"I, uh, wanna get you into a sport…you know, it's funny, Sonic! You love to run and jump and do all of this athletic stuff, but you don't play sports. It's kinda weird, huh? Hehe."

Sonic didn't respond, verbally nor physically.

"Uhh…all right then!" Tails dragged Sonic by the arm, out into the plains. He didn't resist.

Tails stood out in the field. He placed the ball by Sonic's feet. "Okay! I think you know how to play, kind of, sort of. For now, we'll just kick the ball, okay?"

He didn't kick it. He didn't respond, once more.

"C…c'mon Sonic…kick the ball…"

Nothing.

Tails looked at the ground.

"…Please…?"

Nothing.

He got mad, now. Brow furrowed, he marched over to Sonic. "I'm sick of this! You're being a selfish brat! Don't you understand that she was my friend too? Knuckles's friend? Cream's friend, especially!"

His eyes moved a bit.

"You're such a baby! You haven't said a single word in twelve months!"

No other sign of response.

"Fine! Have it your way! I'm going back inside! Sorry I did something nice for you!" And he just marched inside.

Sonic laid on the ground, and stayed like that all through the night and into the morning. It kind of freaked Tails out that he was still there.

His mind was broken, wasn't it?

He had snapped long ago. Too many tragedies. His poor heart couldn't handle it anymore. He just fell apart.


End file.
